Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-04-14
NO HENNEPiN NEEDED,
The Canal not Absolutely Necess'
airy to Rock Islands Success.
The City Desires and Deserves IL but
itsFaiIure will not be Drawback to
the City-s Growth.

For great many years the impending
booms has been lowering over Rock
Island which has just now settled down.
All that has been needed is the Hennepin
canal. The fate of the project has been
watched all over the land, and
in connection with the agitation of
the measure its relation 10 this
immediate locality has been seriously
considered The hope and faith
OF the people of Rock Island have been
allowed to depend wholly on the ups and
downs of Hennepin. When the sun shone
on the canal there was bright day in
Rock Island, but when the measure re-
celved a temporary bsckset. the same W as
equally true OF Rock Island. The identi-
ty of the city with the canal may have
been, and probably has been too closely
established, and Rock Islands future has
been permitted to depend too much
way. This relationship should no longer
exist The contamination of the
canal project would be vast and meal
oulable benefit to Rock Island rs to the
entire northwest, but this city is bound
to boom, and boom substantially whether
the Hennepin canal is built or not. The
Hennepin is a necessity TO the inter- state
commerce of the country. and on this
ground it will sooner or later be built :,
but this particular locality will not suf
fer itself tn longer wait for the cons
struction of the connecting lux between
the lakes and the Mississippi The
truth of the matter Is the city of Rock
Island cunnot wait; the boom is upon it
and it must accept it.
Inquiry at the different railroad
offices, warrants the statement that more
freight is being shipped in and out of
Rock Island this season than has been
the case for years before The hotels
show an increase daily in the registration
of commercial agents, and the present
scarcity for tenement houses is without
IA parallel in the city's history. Said a
well known citizen this morning:
IN venture the statement that within
six weeks there will not be an idle
man in Rock Island who is willing IT,
work. There is not today enough carp>
enters to do the work of the contractors,
and other laborers will find abundance
| of occupation if lhey are willing to seek
it."
The construction of the Atchison.
Topeka i Santa Fe road in Rock Island
gives new life aud determination Here
is what the Aledo Record of yesterday
SAYS of the surveying party, which is
heading fox this locality;
A furry of railroad excitement was
experienced In our city on Monday eve
ming, by the appearance of corps of
| railroad engineers and surveyors. repre-
senting the Chicago, Atkinson. Topeka,
& Sauta Fe railway These gentlemen
have spent some time in running a sur
vcy from Cameron, Warren county.
headed to Rock Island and Muscatine,
nd haA .,
! ing reached the corporation line, near
the southeast corner, and were working
inward at the time. II is generally sup
posed by those in position to know.
that our city will be made a point on
this new and important line, and
when completed will form V, the main
part of the branch coming from Cameron.
as previously stated, with forks running
from here. one to Rock island, the other
TO Mu-catine. In any event, our citizens
will do well to consider the subject OF
such an important step, and be ready tn
| take hold of the matter.
With the increased facilities for COM
| merce, Rock Island NAV well content
itself without the canal, and leave the
immense benefits that it brings to come
when it does. The city has got t
start. let il be improved. and The princi
pal thing to be done now is to bullc
houses for the newcomers. This is al
urgent necessity. and syndicate SHOULD
be formed for just this purpose if th,
desired end cannot be attained otherwise